I went indoor Bouldering (climbing up to 4.5 metres without a harness) for the first time a few days ago and I completely loved it! But one thing I wasn’t sure about before I went was what to wear bouldering?
What would the temperature be like in the climbing gym? How much would I be moving vs. standing still? What would other people be wearing? I had no idea, but now I do, so I thought I’d share!
Climb in a decent sports bra
Obviously this isn’t required for men, but if you’re a woman it’s pretty much essential!
Although bouldering doesn’t involve much running and jumping around (especially if you’re a beginner), it does require a lot of concentration. You don’t want anything to be uncomfortable or bothering you while you climb.
A normal bra would be pretty easy to knock out of place when stretching for a hold, so opt for wearing a decent sports bra while bouldering.
Slip on a comfortable t-shirt
Of course, you’ll need to wear some kind of top. Go for a tighter fitting t-shirt (as opposed to a baggy one, which might get in the way of your climbing).
Sometimes it can be warm in a climbing centre, so a sweat-wicking sports t-shirt is perfect.
Wear Leggings or Shorts for bouldering
Dependant on the weather, you’ll want to be wearing either leggings or shorts.
Ladies – sports leggings are a great choice for bouldering. Choose the kind you’d wear for yoga. They’ll be warm enough if it’s chilly and cool enough when you’re working up a sweat.
Lads – sports shorts are a good bet or, if you’re committed to climbing, invest in a good pair of climbing trousers.
Can you wear jeans for bouldering?
Have you seen photos or videos of people climbing in jeans? Maybe you’re wondering if you can get away with that too?
The answer is yes, you can climb in whatever you like, however regular jeans will probably be much too restricting.
If you prefer jeans to shorts or leggings, it’s best to invest in some proper climbing jeans (like the So Ill ones above) – they have built in stretch.
So Ill make fashionable climbing jeans for men and great fitting skinny climbing jeans for women.
If it’s chilly in the climbing gym, wear a sports sweater
You want to make sure you’re warm enough so that you’re not shivering on the wall. Some climbing gyms don’t have heating, but some do, so it’s best to go for layers.
There can be quite a bit of standing around waiting if the centre is busy, and you don’t want to cool down too much before your next climb.
So take a sports sweater with you. You’ll want something warm that doesn’t restrict your movement. A hoodie or sweatshirt will do the trick. I like Superdry hoodies as they are so cosy and come in every colour and design you can think of.
If you haven’t tried bouldering yet, you can read more about what to expect your first time bouldering.
Wear climbing shoes for bouldering
What shoes should you wear to go bouldering? Well, it doesn’t really matter because you’ll be hiring some climbing shoes when you get there anyway.
Climbing shoes are shaped to be tight on your foot and have pointed toes to help you get your foot into tight spots. They aren’t the most comfy things in the world, but you’ll be glad you have them!
I recommend you buy your own pair of climbing shoes as soon as possible after your first session (assuming you enjoyed bouldering!) because it will make the next sessions a lot more comfortable.
I have Scarpa Vapor V WMN shoes and I LOVE them as an intermediate climbing shoe. I’ve written a detailed review of the Vapour V WMN. If you’re just starting out, maybe try Scarpa Velocity (pictured) as they’re flatter and so more comfortable!.
Do you wear socks with rock climbing shoes?
If you’re renting shoes for your first bouldering session, do wear socks because otherwise… ew. Like rental shoes at a bowling alley, they’ll have been disinfected, but still you don’t know how thoroughly.
Normally you wouldn’t wear socks with climbing shoes. Climbing shoes should fit very tight to your feet so that you can feel the holds through the shoes. Wearing socks will put a barrier between your foot and the shoe, dulling the sensation.
Another down side of wearing socks under your climbing shoes is that they can cause your feet to slide around in the shoe. Again, this won’t matter too much on very easy climbs, but the second you need to hook your heel around a hold, you’ll wish you had tighter shoes with no socks!
Once you buy your own climbing shoes you won’t need or want socks.
Can you wear jewellery climbing?
Jewellery at the climbing gym is a big no – particularly rings and strong bracelets.
You shouldn’t wear jewellery whilst climbing as it could get caught on the smaller holds.
That doesn’t sound like too much of a big deal, until you realise that your whole body weight would then be hanging from your jewellery. If that’s a ring… well… I’ll leave that to your imagination.
Stud earrings are fine to leave in, but I’d recommend stowing all of your other jewellery safely in your bag before you start to climb.
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